Six Years of a Tramp's Life in South Africa

Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886* edition. Excerpt: ...ghastly eyeballs. Oh, God! I must have fallen in a swoon immediately, for when I awoke it was nearing daylight and I was lying close alongside the disfigured corpse. I got up as quick as I could and walked about the streets till daylight drinking buckets of cold water from the sluit, to satisfy my feverish thirst. Without exactly knowing where I was walking to I followed the line for some way out of the town till I reached some navvies' tents. I related to them my night's adventure. They were very kind, and gave me the wherewith to get a little brandy, which I considered was absolutely necessary in the weak state of my nerves. After taking a drain of the dog that bit me, I walked out to a small village consisting of a few houses about six miles from Graaff-Reinet. I really believe that the fact of that hideous corpse being placed under my nose that night, and 1 the other surrounding circumstances were directly sent by Providence as a means or terrifying me and acting as a lesson by which I might learn to avoid in future, the fearful consequences of excessive drinking. I was fortunate in obtaining a day's employment in the village, and painted a sign outside the hotel. Next day I started for Somerset East. The first night, after losing my way for a couple of hours, I slept at an hotel, where I met a certain Mr. C--(son of Alderman C--, formerly Lord Mayor of London). It was late when I arrived at the domicile, j but I was hospitably treated. Next day I reached a small village called Pierre Town. I fell in with a builder, who promised me employment on tho New Church then about to bo built, but I subsequently found that my friend was too fond of his bottle to be depended on. j From there I made an hotel, situ ited on the summit of a hill, ...show more